Post-hole auger.



R. H. VESEY.

POST HOLE AUGER. APPLICATION FILED IAN. 1 7, 1910.

980,853, Patented Jan. 3, 1911.

STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD H. VESEY, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR TO TRUMAN E. STEVENS, 0F

OMAHA, NEBRASKA, AND CHRISTOPHER C. DENNY, OF CHICAGO HEIGHTS, ILLI-NOIS.

POST-HOLE AUGER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 3, 1911.

To all whom it may concer/n:

Be it known that I, RICHARD I-I. VnsnY, a resident of Denver, in thecounty of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Post-Hole Augers, of which the following is afull, clear, and precise specification.

My invention relates to post hole diggers, particularly to those of theauger type.

My invention may be considered as an improvement over the devicesdisclosed in my Patents Nos. 957,127 and 957,128, both issued May 3,1910. In these patents the auger shown comprises one member which isrigid with reference to a centering point and which at its peripherycarries a downwardly extending blade for defining the circumference ofthe hole and for loosening the earth, while the other member is free torotate with reference to the centering point and its end tapersdownwardly to draw the auger into the ground and to scoop up the earthloosened by the cutting extension on the rst member in advance thereof,the relative movement between the members allowing the iirst member tobe rotated reversely a distance after a hole has been dug deep enough,in order to close the gap which extends between the members during thedigging operation so that the two members when closed form a completedish for lifting up the earth out of the hole. In this arrangement,however, the cutting extension on the first member must be forced backthrough the earth upon reverse rot-ation to close the gap, and thisresist-ance encountered by the cutting extension introduces unnecessarywork.

The main purpose of my present invention is, therefore, to apply thecutting extension to the same member which has the tapered digging end,leaving the first member in the form of a smooth, segmental disk whichcan more readily be rotated in reverse direction to close the gap.

My invention is clearly described in the following specicationA andshown on the accompanying drawing, in which drawing Figure 1 is anelevationv view of an' auger showing the members in open position, Fig.2 is a similar view showing the parts in closed position, Fig. 3 is aview taken from plane 3-3, Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a top view of Fig. 2, andFig. 5 is a view similar to Fig.

2, showing a modied form of members.

The auger comprises a cylindrical casting` to, this hub expanding toform one of the members 9, this member being almost semicircular, asbest shown in Fig. 4. Engaging over the hub 8 and rotatable about thestud 3 is the hub 10 of the other member 11 which extends through about270 degrees to leave a gap 12, the horizontal projections of bothmembers forming circular segments. Both members, however, deflectupwardly from their hubs in order to be dish shaped, as shown. deectsdownward gradually, as shown, and terminates in a cutting edge 14 sothat as the auger is turned the end 13 will dig into the ground and drawthe auger down- The front end 13 of member 11"' wardly, the earthtraveling up the inclined end 13 onto the main dish part of the member.Along a radial line just in advance of the deecting end 13 the member 11is offset downwardly to form an abutment shoulder or stop 15 along itsback, while the inner end 16 on the deflected part forms an abutment forthe abutment tongue 17 which extends from the hub 8. From the peripheryof the member 11 at the follower end thereof a cutting tooth 18 extendsdownwardly beyond the periphery of the member 9, this tooth serving todene the circumference of the hole and to loosen up the earth in advanceof the cutting edge 14 and" the deilecting or scoop part 13.

When the centering point 2 is stuck into the ground preparatory todigging a hole the members will already have or will immediately assumethe relative position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the follower edges 19 and20 of the members 9 and 11 being practically coincident and the advanceedge 21 of the member 19 abutting against the back of the abutment 15,the abutment tongue 17 extending from the hub 8 at the base Iof the edge19. As before stated, the

member 9 is rigid with the centering pin part and the auger handle, andas the auger is now turned member 9 rotates therewith e and carries withit the member 11, the tooth 18 defining the circumference of the holeand loosening up the earth which canvthen readily be received by andpassed upthe `incline 13 to the top of the member 11. le "When the holehas been dug deep enough a reverse rotation is given the handle and themember 9 will rotate in reverse direction until abutment toothv 17strikes the abutment section 1G on member 11, the follower edge l of themember 9 then overlapping the deflecting portion 13 of member 11, asshown in Figs. 2 and t, this overlapping of the members forming acompleted shelf for supporting the earth, which can then be lifted incompact form from the hole. The member 9 being entirely smooth and freefrom any projections can be very readily and with little exertion movedto its overlapping position. The dished formation of the members causesthe dug earth to be compressed more or less radially inwardly so thatthe earth can be lifted in a compact mass from the post hole. ldlhen theearth is removed from the members and the auger is again inserted in theground the initial rotation will rotate the members apart so that earthcan again pass along the incline to the top of member 11.

In order to support the digging end 13 during operation and to preventbending or breaking thereof, I provide a supporting lug or shelf on thecentering pin 2, this lug receiving the cutting end of the eXtension 13during digging operation of the 4@ auger, as illustrated in Fig. 1. Themembers 9 and 11 can each be stamped and formed. integral from metalplate, and the body part 1 with its centering pin and lug can also becast, forged or otherwise formed integral. rIhe auger proper has,therefore, a minimum number of parts and is exceedingly strong. Thecutting tooth 18 by defining the opening and by loosening the earth inadvance of the digging member greatly relieves the deflected end of thismember from strains.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a form of auger having the same parts cooperatingin the same manner except that the members 9 and 11 are flat and notdished, as shown in the other figures, this form being perhaps betteradapted for certain kinds of soil.

I do not desire to be limited to the precise forms and constructionwhich I have shown, as modifications are possible which will still comewithin the scope of my invention, and I, therefore, desire to secure thefollowing claims by Letters Patent:

1. A post hole digger comprising a ver- 65 tical body part, a segmentalclosure plate rigidly mounted on said body part, a cutting plate pivotedto said body part over said closure plato and having a segmental gap,one end of said cutting plate being deflected downwardly gradually toform a cutting edge and an incline for conveying the cut earth to thetop of the cutting plate, and a tooth extending from the peripheral edgeat the other end of said cutting plate for loosening the earth anddefining the circumference of the hole to be dug in advance of thecutting end of said plate, rotation of the body part in the cuttingdirection causing said closure plate to leave said gap, and rotation ofthe body part in reverse direction so causing said closure part to becarried over and to close said ga Q. A post hole digger comprising avertical body part, a segmental closure plate rigidly secured at itsaxle to said body part, a segmental cutting plate pivotally mounted atits axis to said body part over said closure plate, one end of saidcutting plate being deflected downwardly gradually to form a cuttingedge and an incline for carrying the cut earth to the top of the cuttingplate, a cutting tooth depending from the periphery of the cutting plateat the other end thereof for loosening the earth and for defining thecircumference of a hole to be dug in advance of said cutting end, and anabutment formed on said cutting plate, rotation of the body part in thecutting direction causing said closure plate to be primarily carriedagainstsaid abutment to open the gap between the cutting tooth and thecutting end, of the cutting plate and then to move to .gether with saidcutting plate, and rotation of the body part in reverse directioncausing rotation of the closure in the opposite direction against saidabutment to primarily close said gap and then to move the cutting platein reverse direction.

3. A post hole digger comprising a vertical body part, a closure platerigidly secured at its axis to said body part, a cutting plate pivotedto the body part over said closure plate and extending partly aroundsaid body part to leave a gap, one end of said cutting plate beingdeflected downwardly gradually to form a cutting end and an incline forconveying cut earth to the top of the cutting plate, said cutting platebeing offset downwardly at the base of the incline and along asubstantially radial line to form an abutment, a cutting tooth dependingfrom the periphery of the cutting plate at the other end thereof forloosening the earth and defining the circumference of the hole to be dugin advance of said cutting end, rotation of the body part in the cuttingdirection causing primarily only rotation of the closure part to carryits one radial edge against said abutment, whereafter both plates traveltogether, and a projection at the hase of the other radial edge of saidIn Witness hereoi hereunto subscribe closure plate, reverse rotation ofsaid c10- Iny name this 10th oiay of January, A. D., sure part causingprimary rotation of the 1910.

closure part to carry said projection against RICHARD H. VESEY. saidabutment and to close said gap, Where- Witnesses: after both plates cantravel together in re- CHARLES J. SCHMIDT,

Verse directlon.

C. C. DENNY.

